Islamabad, 21 August 1996 (RFE/RL) -- Iran's oil minister hopes to conclude an agreement to build a $1 billion oil refinery in Pakistan and says Iran is interested in pipeline projects for supply of gas and oil to Pakistan from Qatar, Oman or Turkmenistan, according to reports.

Gholam Reza Aghazadeh is visiting Pakistan, with which Teheran is eager to improve trade and economic ties. Aghazadeh met yesterday in Islamabad with President Farooq Ahmed Leghari, who praised a recently established rail link between Iran and Central Asia.

Iran's IRNA news agency says Iran's state-owned oil company plans to increase its overseas operations and has an agreement to explore for oil in Senegal. The head of the company exploration section, Mehmedi Hosseini, said the company has signed agreements with Russia and Turkmenistan for offshore exploration in the Caspian Sea.